This invention relates to announcement systems for use in communication networks. Examples of such systems are long distance carriers' welcome announcement systems, telephone card verification systems, or the like that can invoke announcements in response to particular telephone calls. More particularly, the invention relates to a branding system for branding each call with an announcement providing information about a called party, i.e., ensuring that a calling party can determine whether his call is directed to the proper called party.
Many types of announcement systems are known. Most such announcement systems provide some type of information to aid the calling party during call completions. For example, the announcement systems may announce to the calling parties the identities of long distance carriers so that the calling parties can verify their choices of the long distance carriers. In another example, the announcement systems may announce to the calling parties the identities of calling card companies, and provide instructions so that calling parties can submit their personal identification numbers for verification.
These announcement systems for use in communication networks, however, lack capabilities to provide the information about called parties, e.g., identification of the called parties. Such information benefits not only calling parties but also called parties by minimizing the number of misdialed calls that are completed. For example, the calling parties, who place long distance calls, may want to confirm whether they have dialed the correct telephone numbers prior to the call connections so that they can avoid unnecessary long distance charges incurred due to their misdialing. In another example, the called parties who own wireless phones and are subject to charges upon receipt of calls may also desire confirmations of correct telephone numbers on the part of the calling parties for the same reason. Similarly, the called parties who have toll free telephone service numbers may like to avoid misdialed calls that cause inconveniences and tying up of a limited number of telephone lines without raising any revenue while they pay for the toll free services by the number of completed calls.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide call branding systems to announce to calling parties the information about called parties. It is more particularly an object of this invention to announce such information to calling parties prior to the completion of calls and minimize misdialing.